Friday, September 02, 2005

A Clean Sweep Needs a Better Ballot Access Broom

For more information contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) or David Jahn (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS

The Voters Choice Act

Harrisburg, PA – The state legislature’s pay increase has created outrage across the state causing groups such as the PA Clean Sweep organization (www.pacleansweep.org) to call for a “no incumbent” election in November.

Some challengers will confront the Democratic and Republican incumbents head on in the Primary Election. Other frustrated voters are turning their backs on the old parties and seeking third party and independent candidates with innovative new approaches to today’s challenges. However, third party and independent candidates face a critical challenge with Pennsylvania’s ballot access laws.

Under current law, Democrats and Republicans will need to gather 2000 signatures in 2006 to have their names placed on the statewide ballot. By comparison, third party and independent candidates must collect over 67,000 signatures, more than 33 times as many. This inequity seems to violate provisions of the state constitution requiring all elections to be “fair and equal”

“We must run a state-wide candidate in order to maintain our minor party status,” stated David Jahn, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania. “The two old parties have their drawbridges up and moats filled. These insurmountable barriers are obviously designed to protect incumbents by denying Pennsylvania voters a choice of candidates. This protection squashes the democratic process and makes it difficult to provide voters with new choices on the ballot.”

Currently, the Libertarian Party is working with the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (www.PaBallotAccess.org) to reform the state’s unfair ballot access laws. On Saturday, September 24th, at 4 PM, the Coalition will hold a kickoff rally in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg to introduce their Voters Choice Act with a reception to be held immediately afterwards at the Harrisburg Hilton, Second and Market Streets in Harrisburg, beginning at 6:15 PM. Both events are open to the public.

Per L.P. spokesman Doug Leard, “in November 2006, we need to send a strong message to Harrisburg about their under-handed pay increase. To do so, we need improved ballot access to provide the voters of Pennsylvania better choices. We are asking citizens to contact their legislators asking them to sponsor and support the Voters Choice Act.”

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the United States with over 600 officials serving in office throughout the nation. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information on the Libertarian Party.